1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to merchandise packaging systems and in particular to a system for packaging individual articles such as groceries in a handle-bearing thermoplastic bag at a grocery store check-out counter.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In accordance with the prior art, for many years grocery stores have been using a system of bagging groceries at the check-out counters comprising loading individual paper bags. This system is inefficient, time-consuming, and expensive. A checker or packer must usually reach under the counter for a paper bag, open the bag by a quick motion of the arm causing air to catch in the bag and distend it, set the bag upright on the counter, and, in the case of double bagging operations, a second bag must be inserted inside the first bag to give additional strength. Finally, the groceries are placed into the bag and the filled bags are slid across the counter so that the customers can put their arms around the mid-portion of the bags and carry them out. In many instances the bottoms of such heavily laden paper bags tend to separate or tear because of the weakening effects of moisture absorption from products contained therein.
The general concept of packaging items in plastic bags has, in recent years, become well known in the art. However, such prior art attempts have for the most part met with a lack of success, particularly when employed in grocery market environments for grocery packaging at a check-out station. Due to the limp nature of the thin thermoplastic bags, it not only adversely effects the loading operation, but attempts to carry a loaded bag of groceries at the mid-portion of the bag for any distance prove awkward because of the limp film's tendency to allow the upper portion of the bag to fold over, spilling items from the bag.
Recent attempts to remedy the aforenoted deficiencies of plastic bags have included the provision of handles adjacent the bag mouth whereby grocery laden plastic bags could be transported as a shopping bag. However, the bag loading operation remained a problem with the difficulties attendant to loading a limp plastic bag which is incapable of self-support. Although semi-rigid plastic films are available such as vinyl, high density polyethylene and high modulus laminar structures formed therefrom, the cost of such material is far beyond the relative costs of paper packaging materials, making such structures economically unattractive.